Hat making apparatus



May 15, 1934. v, MacKlNNON 1,958,857

HAT MAKI NG APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 15, 1934. G. v. MacKINNON 1,958,857

HAT MAKING APPARATUS I Filed May 31, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

By @WMMM Mafia A TTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT MAKING APPARATUS Application May 31, 1932, Serial No. 614,336

12 Claims. (0]. 19-148) My invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of hats of felt or the like, reinforced or thickened at the edge of the brim, or at any other suitable or desired position or zone.

Fur, wool, or like fibres are deposited upon a rotating perforated cone, and, in any suitable or desired zone, as at the brim edge or elsewhere, fur or the like is simultaneously deposited in the aforesaid zone, to build up locally a defined deposit thicker than and integral with the adjacent portion or portions of the deposit upon the cone, and in accordance with my invention, there is provided at or adjacent the limit of the zone in which the thickened deposit is effected, abutment structure forming, or having components so disposed with respect to each other as to form, a pocket or recess to provide a surface against which the fur is deposited substantially sharply or regularly to define the end of the thickened deposit, whereby, after sizing and usual operations practiced in the manufacture of felt or like hats, there is formed a smooth and regular untrimmed thickened edge of fine or high grade finish, without need for edge trimming, cutting or like operation.

My invention resides in apparatus of the character and for the purposes hereinafter described.

For an illustration of one of the various forms my apparatus may take reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical elevational and sectional view of apparatus for producing hat bodies.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the hat body with thickened band or border.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, of the band or border and adjacent body.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the body and its band after sizing.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, through the reinforced brim edge of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a hat embodying my invention.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, of a portion of the brim and its reinforced edge.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the cone of Fig. 1, showing on enlarged scale the pocket-forming abutment for defining the end of the thickened edge.

Fig. 9 is a vertical elevational view of a cone of Fig. l on enlarged scale.

Referring to Fig. 1 the open upper end of the chamber or drum C, having the door 2 swinging outwardly, the fur, wool or other felt-forming fibres are delivered through the chute or guiding structure 5. with which are associated the usual brush and picker rolls or cylinders 6 and '7 with which may be associated, as usual, a transversely extending series of steam jets 8 for moistening and blowing the fibres.

At the bottom of chamber 0 is provided the usual turntable 9 rotated by gear 10, driven by any suitable means, meshing with the circular rack or ring gear 11 upon the table 9, which has an opening 12 covered by the cone K. Air is drawn through the perforations in the cone and thence through opening 12 by suction created by the exhaust fan or pump 13 disposed within the sub-base or chamber 13a and driven by any suitable means, such as an electric motor M.

The cone K, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 9, is provided with a circumferential groove or channel 14 adjacent or immediately above the imperforate inwardly extending flange or ledge 15a, of the imperforate base 15, constituting an abutment for defining the end of the thickened deposit in channel 14. The wall of the channel 14 has extending therethrough numerous holes or perforations 16, substantially uniformly distributed and preferably larger than the holes or perforations 17 distributed substantially uniformly over the remainder of the cone above the channel 14.

The fur or fibres, passing downwardly from the delivery chute 5 in the chamber C, are drawn to and settle upon the revolving cone K, due to the applied suction, building up on the cone a hat body A, Figs. 2 and 3, of loose felt of usual or suitable thickness. At the same time there is deposited in the channel 14, under the influence of more intense suction, because of the larger apertures or holes 16 therein or because of local application of more intense suction otherwise produced, the band or border B, integral with the body A, and finally, after sizing, constituting a reinforced edge of the hat brim.

By the channel 14 the width of the thickened edge or band B is quite definitely determined, and its lower edge at the flange orledge 15a is well defined in regularity and of sufficient uniformity and smoothness ordinarily to require no trimming, cutting or working before or after shrinkage to size or final dimensions. The band B, as indicated in Fig. 3, may, as to its excess in thickness over body A, be offset on the outer side, as effected by and at that upper portion of channel 14 at or adjacent its junction with the cone body 70.

When the holes 16 are either larger than the holes 17, or of any other suitable relative size, as equal in diameter to the holes 1'7, the border or band B, of greater thickness than the body A and integral therewith, may be formed of fur or other fibres deposited by suction in the channel 14, delivered thereto through the conduit or pipe 18, whose inlet end 19 is preferably adjacent the chute 5, causing fur or fibres to pass through the pipe 18 due to the suction of air therethrough and to be delivered into or adjacent the groove 14. Deposit of the thickened border B by this method claimed in my Patent 1,915,063 involves the delivery of fur or fibres to the cone or its groove 14through a path distinct from that of the remainder which as usual passes downwardly in chamber 0 and deposits on all perforated portions of cone K. Fur other than that passing through conduit ,18 is also deposited on the groove 14, as in the case first described, so that the deposit for the thickened band B is in part and mainly due to the fur delivered'by the conduit 18 andin part to fur falling downwardly through the chamber C as delivered through the chute 5 independently of the conduit 18.

In either case, by the provision of the channel 14 with its perforations 16, or by the conduit 18, or both, the fur is deposited in a substantially sharply defined region, to form the edge or band B, integral with the body A, and of substantially greater thickness, even as much as two or more times'the thickness of the body A as a whole or immediately adjacent the band B.

While a channel 14 is preferred, the perforated band-forming zone may be the lower portion of the cone K without channel or recess.

Upon completion of deposit, the door 2 is swung outwardly, giving access to the cone for applying wet cloth or fabric over the hat body, whereupon the cone with the body thereon is removed. The body with its integral band B is then plunged into hot water, removed from the cone, and thereafter sized by usual methods.

As shown, when conduit 18 is employed, it swings out with door 2 on which it is supported, giving free access to the cone. It..wi'll be understood conduit v18 may be otherwise disposed or supported, as fixedly upon and within chamber C, with its discharge end movable away from the cone or fixed in a position away from the doors 1 and 2 to allow free access to the cone.

The band B may be produced by the larger holes 16 or increased suction without the channel; or by the effect of the channel 14 with suitable intensity or degree of suction; or by the definite local delivery of fur or the like to a restricted or defined zone of the cone. Any one or more of these features is or are effective; preferably all three are employed.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, there is shown abutmentstructure which serves smoothly and regularly to define theend of the thickened edge 13 on the hat brim. In the example illustrated, there is disposed upon the ledge or abutment 15a, a further or supplemental upstanding abutment member 20, extending throughout the circumference of the abutment 15a. In the example illustrated, the member 20 is a metal wire soldered or otherwise attached to the abutment 15a, thereby forming a pocket 22 in which the fur is deposited, and the outline of the pocket serves to impart a rounded and substantially sharply defined end to the thickened edge B on the hat brim. The structure prevents the fur at the extreme end of the thickened edge from rolling up or curling up on top of the thickened edge itself, as sometimes occurs under the influence of air drafts in cases where the member 20 or equivalent is omitted.

The element 20, particularly when a wire, may be attached to the ledge 15a, by solder 21, which may be utilized in quantity to form on the outer side a substantially straight surface flush with the'outer surface of flange or imperforate base 15; and solder 21 may be applied between the inside under-curving surface of the wire or member 20 and the ledge or abutment 15a to form a substantially smooth or rounded surface as indicated.-

In lieu of a wire 20 there may be applied a sheet metal member formed to correspond substantially with the structure 20, 21 illustrated, and suitably upstanding from and secured to the ledge or abutment 15a, with its outside preferably fiush with the outer surface of the base 15. In fact the auxiliary abutment member 20 may be of any suitable formation or cross section, provided it form an element rising upwardly from the abutment 15a, and form therewith a pocket such as 22 at or adjacent the perforated wall of channel 14, or at or adjacent any zone of the perforated cone and secured thereto. The radial width of the abutment 15a between the inner side of the member 20 and the wall of the groove or channel 14 may be anything suitable or desirable, but preferably is of substantial extent between the member 20 and the first of the channel holes 16 which are preferably larger than the other holes 17.

The members 15a and 20 constitute components of a composite abutment providing surfaces, extending respectively outwardly from and upwardly longitudinally of the cone and preferably forming a pocket or recess 22, against which the fur is deposited to impart to the end of thickened edge B regularity and smoothness yielding, after usual sizing and workingof the hat body, a regularly defined untrimmed edge. This composite abutment structure may be positioned at the limit of any zone of perforated cone K, and may, if the channel 14 be not used, be applied to the regular or straight side of the cone.

The band B is simple or plain, or single-ply, as distinguished from the case where the lower or brim forming end of the body A is of the thickness of the body itself, and then folded back upon itself, with or without stitching, forming a double-ply edge, worked or felted together, and carried on through the remainder of the usual process of sizing or shrinking. In accordance with my invention the thick band is preformed and complete before removal of the body from the cone K.

The thickened border B is itself at its free edge left raw, untrimmed or uncut; however, if desired, it may be trimmed or cut more sharply to define or smooth its lowermost edge, though this has been found to be unnecessary.

The body A, with its integral thickened band B, is then carried through the usual sizing or shrinking process for simple hat bodies, the body A and band B both shrinking while increasing in thickness. This process is continued until there is reached a stage represented by Figs. 4 and 5, in which the body A has been reduced in size to that indicated by A, and its band has been reduced in length and increased in thickness as indicated at B. Thereafter the sized body is blocked and finished. In this further treatment the band B ordinarily requires no special treatment other than that applied to the remainder of the hat.

After the body has been sized, it is blocked and finished as usual, without need for special treatment of the thickened edge B, which ordinarily requires no cutting, trimming or tooling, though these or other operations may be applied, if and when desirable.

After blocking, the hat takes the form general- 1y indicated in Fig. 6 in which, as usual, the brim D extends substantially horizontally from the upstanding crown E.

Ordinarily the treatment of the hat, after blocking to the form indicated in Fig. 6, involves only the usual finishing and pouncing, which may or may not be applied to the reinforced edge B, as may be desired. The extreme edge of the reinforcement 13' need not be rounded or cut or otherwise worked to size. Both the final size and the final finish of the reinforcement B' is ordinarily attained at the completion of the sizing or shrinking operation, the stage indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be understood, however, that after sizing, the reinforcement B may be further operated upon in any desired Way as, for example, by ironing or pressing the brim D at the point where it merges into the reinforcement B, effecting somewhat more abrupt offset of the face of the band B from the face of the brim as more clearly indicated in Fig. 7.

The edge reinforcement 13, produced as above described, is most effective; it is, in a mechanical sense, strong; it is homogeneous, and its integral union with the brim is homogeneous therewith and of great strength. It is simple and plain in structure, because it is single-ply or a single element, and is not composed of or built up from two or more layers or components, and is devoid of stitching, either temporary or permanent, and requires after initial formation, no turning, folding, working, welding, welting or the like. In fact it is elementally simple, and is structurally formed entirely during the deposit of the hat body as a whole upon the cone; and thereafter it requires no working or treatment, because in the usual sizing or shrinking operation it takes its final form and dimensions, without need for cutting, trimming, rounding or other operation.

Because of its characteristics aforesaid, and due to its method of manufacture, it is very low in cost, for in its production there is involved no folding, stitching, manual felting together or welding of parts, or any other significant operation.

The reinforcement B is homogeneous or jointless throughout, in the sense that it is without such a joint as is occasioned by more or less com plete intermingling, welding or mutual penetration of two or more layers of felt or like material.

For revity in the appended claims the term fur includes hairs of fur bearing animals, wool and other fibers, and felt producing materials in general.

In my Letters Patent No. 1,848,832, March 8, 1932, are claimed reinforced or thickened edges of brirns, including generally that type produced by the apparatus herein described and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, and abutment structure carried thereby and spaced from the perforated wall of the cone to form a fur-receiving pocket extending below the top edge of said abutment structure.

2. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, and abutment structure having components extending outwardly from and longitudinally of the cone to form a fur-receiving pocket.

3. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, and imperforate abutment structure carried thereby and disposed adjacent perforations of the cone to form a furreceiving pocket extending below the top edge of said abutment structure.

4. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, and imperforate abutment structure adjacent perforations of the cone extending outwardly from and longitudinally of the cone to form a fur-receiving pocket.

5. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt, comprising a perforated cone having a perforated channel, and abutment structure adjacent said channel forming a fur-receiving pocket.

6. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone having a perforated channel, and imperforate abutment structure adjacent said channel having components extending outwardly from and longitudinally of the cone to form a fur-receiving pocket.

7. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone having a perforated channel, an abutment adjacent said channel, and a member disposed upon said abutment and spaced from the wall of said channel to form a fur-receiving pocket.

8. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, an abutment carried thereby and extending outwardly from the fur-receiving surface of said cone, and a wire extending circumferentially of the cone carried by said abutment and spaced from said surface to form a fur-receiving pocket.

9. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a cone having perforations, said cone having a perforated channel adjacent the perforated portion of said cone, an abutment extending outwardly from the end of said channel, and a member disposed upon said abutment and spaced from the wall of said channel to form a fur-receiving pocket.

10. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a cone having perforations, said cone having a perforated channel adjacent the perforated portion of said cone, an abutment extending outwardly from the end of said channel, and a wire disposed upon said abutment and spaced from the wall of said channel to form a fur-receiving pocket.

11. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone, an imperforate base upon the cone, outwardly extending abutment structure connecting said base and cone, and a member disposed upon said abutment structure and spaced from the cone to form a furreceiving pocket.

12. Apparatus for producing hat bodies of felt comprising a perforated cone having a perforated channel, a base on said cone, an abutment extending outwardly adjacent the limit of said channel between said cone and said base, and a member disposed upon said abutment and spaced from the wall of said channel to form a fur-receiving pocket.

GEORGE V. MAcKINNON. 

